SA 379（三七九） 转法轮

Thus have I heard:

At one time the Buddha was staying in the Deer Park at Bārāṇasī, the abode of the seers.

At that time the World-Honored One said to the five bhikṣus: "This is the noble truth of suffering, a truth that has not been heard before. One should contemplate it correctly. At that time, the eye, knowledge, wisdom, and understanding arise. This is the noble truth of the origin of suffering, the noble truth of the cessation of suffering, and the noble truth of the path leading to the cessation of suffering. These are truths that have not been heard before. One should contemplate them correctly. At that time, the eye, knowledge, wisdom, and understanding arise.

Furthermore, one should know the knowledge of the noble truth of suffering. One should contemplate it correctly. At that time, the eye, knowledge, wisdom, and understanding arise. One should know the noble truth of the origin of suffering and abandon it. This is a truth that has not been heard before. One should contemplate it correctly. At that time, the eye, knowledge, wisdom, and understanding arise.

Furthermore, one should know the noble truth of the cessation of suffering and realize it. This is a truth that has not been heard before. One should contemplate it correctly. At that time, the eye, knowledge, wisdom, and understanding arise. One should know the noble truth of the path leading to the cessation of suffering and cultivate it. This is a truth that has not been heard before. One should contemplate it correctly. At that time, the eye, knowledge, wisdom, and understanding arise.

Furthermore, monks! One should know the noble truth of suffering. Having known it, one should emerge from it. This is a truth that has not been heard before. One should contemplate it correctly. At that time, the eye, knowledge, wisdom, and understanding arise. One should know the noble truth of the origin of suffering. Having known it, one should abandon it and emerge from it. This is a truth that has not been heard before. One should contemplate it correctly. At that time, the eye, knowledge, wisdom, and understanding arise.

Furthermore, monks! One should know the noble truth of the cessation of suffering. Having known it, one should realize it and emerge from it. This is a truth that has not been heard before. One should contemplate it correctly. At that time, the eye, knowledge, wisdom, and understanding arise. One should know the noble truth of the path leading to the cessation of suffering. Having known it, one should cultivate it and emerge from it. This is a truth that has not been heard before. One should contemplate it correctly. At that time, the eye, knowledge, wisdom, and understanding arise.

Monks! If I had not given rise to the eye, knowledge, wisdom, and understanding through the three turnings and twelve aspects of these four noble truths, I would not have been able to attain liberation, emancipation, and freedom from the assemblies of gods, demons, Brahmas, śramaṇas, and brahmins. I would not have been able to realize and attain supreme perfect enlightenment by myself. But because I have given rise to the eye, knowledge, wisdom, and understanding through the three turnings and twelve aspects of these four noble truths, I have been able to attain liberation, emancipation, and freedom from the assemblies of gods, demons, Brahmas, śramaṇas, and brahmins. I have been able to realize and attain supreme perfect enlightenment by myself.

At that time, when the World-Honored One spoke this Dharma, Venerable Channa and eighty thousand gods were freed from defilements, attained pure Dharma-eyes, and saw the Dharma.

"At that time, the World-Honored One said to Venerable Channa, "Do you understand the Dharma?

Channa said to the Buddha, "I understand, World-Honored One!"

He again asked Venerable Channa, "Do you understand the Dharma?"

Channa said to the Buddha, "I understand, Well-Gone One!"

Venerable Channa understood the Dharma, so he was called Ājñātakauṇḍinya.

Venerable Ājñātakauṇḍinya understood the Dharma, and the earth deity raised her voice and proclaimed, "All you noble ones! The World-Honored One has turned the wheel of the Dharma three times with twelve aspects at the Deer Park in the Deer Park of the Sages in the country of Vārāṇasī. It has never been turned before by any śramaṇa, brāhmaṇa, god, Māra, or Brahmā. It is of great benefit, great peace, compassion for the world, benefit through meaning, benefit and peace for gods and humans, increasing the hosts of gods, and decreasing the hosts of asuras.

After the earth deity proclaimed it, the gods in the sky, the Four Heavenly Kings, the Thirty-three Heavens, the Yāma Heaven, the Tuṣita Heaven, the Nirmāṇarati Heaven, and the Paranirmitavaśavartin Heaven passed it on in succession. In an instant, it reached the Brahmā Heaven. The Brahmā Heaven, riding on the sound, proclaimed, "All you noble ones! The World-Honored One has turned the wheel of the Dharma three times with twelve aspects at the Deer Park in the Deer Park of the Sages in the country of Vārāṇasī. It has never been turned before by any śramaṇa, brāhmaṇa, god, Māra, or Brahmā. It is of great benefit, great peace, compassion for the world, benefit through meaning, benefit and peace for gods and humans, increasing the hosts of gods, and decreasing the hosts of asuras.

After the Buddha had spoken this sūtra, the bhikṣus who heard what the Buddha had said rejoiced and received it respectfully.